Camera apparatus and system, method and recording medium for indicating camera field of view

ABSTRACT

A camera field indicating method, system, and non-transitory computer readable medium for a camera including imaging optics, a light sensor, the imaging optics and the light sensor intermittently sensing incoming light, an extended light source provided separate from the imaging optics and the light sensor, the extended light source comprising a distributed illuminator capable of being intermittently activated when the light sensor does not need to sense incoming light such that a projection of the distributed illuminator through a duplicate lens of the extended light source matches a field of view of the light sensor.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a continuation application of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 15/224,387, filed on Jul. 29, 2016, the entirecontents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND

The present invention relates generally to a camera field indicatingmethod, and more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to asystem, method, and recording medium for allowing the user to determineif the user is within the camera field of view despite large offsetsfrom the imaging device.

The growing trend of a user taking so-called “selfies” (e.g., a pictureof themselves or a group of users that is taken by the user) has led toinaccuracies in taking the selfies because the user must use the camerawithout being able necessarily to determine the field of view of thecamera. This is because conventional cameras include a viewing screen(e.g., such as a smartphone including a camera or a digital cameradevice) to look at the field of view on an opposite side of the imagingdevice such that when a user attempts to take their own picture, theyadequately or accurately cannot view the screen to determine if thecamera is capturing the intended users. Also, from a business point ofview, there is not currently an efficient way for notifying people whenthey are under direct video surveillance (e.g., the camera could beindicated as on but the user in unable to determine if they are directlybeing surveilled).

Thus, the needs in the art include that a user is unable to determineadequately or accurately a field of view of the camera when taking, forexample, a selfie because the user is not able to adjust the positioningof the camera to capture the correct image because the user cannot viewthe screen that displays the image to be captured (e.g., cannotdetermine the field of view of the camera). Also, the needs in the artinclude a way to notify a user when the user is under videosurveillance.

SUMMARY

In an exemplary embodiment, the present invention can provide a camerafield indicating method for a camera including a light sensor, imagingoptics, and an extended light source situated near the light sensor andsharing the imaging optics, the method including sensing incoming lightvia the imaging optics and the light sensor and intermittentlyactivating the extended light source when the light sensor does not needto sense incoming light such that a projection of the extended lightsource through the imaging optics matches a field of view of the lightsensor.

Further, in another exemplary embodiment, the present invention canprovide a camera field indicating system for a camera including a lightsensor, imaging optics, and an extended light source situated near thelight sensor and sharing the imaging optics, said system including aprocessor, and a memory, the memory storing instructions to cause theprocessor to: sense incoming light via the imaging optics and the lightsensor, and intermittently activate the extended light source when thelight sensor does not need to sense incoming light such that aprojection of the extended light source through the imaging opticsmatches a field of view of the light sensor.

Even further, in another exemplary embodiment, the present invention canprovide a camera including imaging optics, a light sensor, the imagingoptics and the light sensor intermittently sensing incoming light, anextended light source disposed near the light sensor and sharing theimaging optics with the light sensor, and the light source isintermittently activated via a signal when the light sensor does notneed to sense incoming light such that a projection of the extendedlight source through the imaging optics matches a field of view of thelight source.

There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, an embodiment of theinvention in order that the detailed description thereof herein may bebetter understood, and in order that the present contribution to the artmay be better appreciated. There are, of course, additional exemplaryembodiments of the invention that will be described below and which willform the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited in itsapplication to the details of construction and to the arrangements ofthe components set forth in the following description or illustrated inthe drawings. The invention is capable of embodiments in addition tothose described and of being practiced and carried out in various ways.In addition, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminologyemployed herein, as well as the abstract, are for the purpose ofdescription and should not be regarded as limiting.

As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conceptionupon which this disclosure is based may readily be utilized as a basisfor the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carryingout the several purposes of the present invention. It is important,therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalentconstructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope ofthe present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The exemplary aspects of the invention will be better understood fromthe following detailed description of the exemplary embodiments of theinvention with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 exemplarily shows a high-level flow chart for a camera fieldindicating method 100.

FIG. 2A exemplarily shows a first exemplary embodiment of a camera.

FIG. 2B exemplarily shows a second exemplary embodiment of the camera.

FIG. 2C exemplarily shows a third exemplary embodiment of the camera.

FIG. 2D exemplarily shows a fourth exemplary embodiment of the camera.

FIG. 3 exemplarily shows adjusting a timing of the projection of theextended light source based on a brightness of the environment accordingto Step 105.

FIG. 4 exemplarily shows a patterned projection using an optical filterof the camera.

FIG. 5 depicts a cloud-computing node according to an embodiment of thepresent invention.

FIG. 6 depicts a cloud-computing environment according to anotherembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 depicts abstraction model layers according to an embodiment ofthe present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The invention will now be described with reference to FIGS. 1-7, inwhich like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout. It isemphasized that, according to common practice, the various features ofthe drawing are not necessarily to scale. On the contrary, thedimensions of the various features can be arbitrarily expanded orreduced for clarity. Exemplary embodiments are provided below forillustration purposes and do not limit the claims.

With reference now to FIG. 1, the camera field indicating method 100includes various steps to allow the user to determine if the user iswithin the camera field of view despite large offsets from the imagingdevice or a screen of the imaging device not being viewable. As shown inat least FIG. 6, one or more computers of a computer system 12 caninclude a memory 28 having instructions stored in a storage system toperform the steps of FIG. 1.

Although as shown in FIGS. 5-7 and as described later, the computersystem/server 12 is exemplarily shown as one or tore cloud computingnodes 10 of the cloud environment 50 as a general-purpose computingcircuit which may execute in a layer the camera field indicating systemmethod (FIG. 6), it is noted that the present invention can beimplemented outside of the cloud environment.

FIGS. 2A-2D each depict exemplary configurations of a camera. Each ofthe exemplary camera configurations includes an imaging chip 1 (a lightsensor), an extended light source 2, an imaging lens 3 (imaging optics),and an optical filter 4. The light source can be intermittentlyactivated by, for example, a button, a signal, etc. It is noted that theextended light source 2 can generate near monochromatic light. That is,the extended light source 2 could be composed of a number of red,yellow, and green LEDs. These do not emit white light that needs to bespectrally filter and instead they are intrinsically one color. Thereby,the extended light source 2 can act as the optical filter 4 (asdescribed later). Further, the extended light source can be spatiallypatterned.

As shown in FIG. 2A, the camera includes an imaging lens 3 and animaging chip 1 that intermittently senses incoming light. The camerafurther includes an extended light source configured by a distributedilluminator 2 a and a beam splitter 2 b which is situated near theimaging chip 1 so as to share the imaging lens 3 with the imaging chip1. The extended light source 2 is capable of being intermittentlyactivated when imaging chip 1 does not need to sense incoming light(e.g., the pixels in the imager have collected enough light for acurrent frame) of the distributed illuminator 2 a and the beam splitter2 b through the an imaging lens 3 matches the field of view of theimaging chip 1. The distributed illuminator 2 a (e.g., the extendedlight source) is projected by the imaging optics through the user of thebeam splitter 2 b.

As shown in FIG. 2B, the camera includes an imaging lens 3 and animaging chip 1 that intermittently senses incoming light. The camerafurther includes an edge-lit illuminator comprising a light source 22 aand a leaky waveguide 22 b situated near the imaging chip 1 so as toshare the imaging lens 3 with the imaging chip 1. The edge-litilluminator 2 is capable of being intermittently activated when imagingchip 1 does not need to sense incoming light (e.g., the pixels in theimager have collected enough light for a current frame) such that theprojection of the light source 22 a and the leaky waveguide 22 b throughthe imaging lens 3 matches the field of view of the imaging chip 1. Theextended light source comprises the leaky waveguide 22 b positionedparallel to the light sensor (not referenced in FIG. 2B).

As shown in FIG. 2C, the camera includes an imaging lens 3 and animaging chip 1 that intermittently senses incoming light. The imagingchip 1 includes integrated illuminators 32 (e.g., integrated with theimaging chip 1) so as to share the imaging lens 3 with the imaging chip1. The integrated illuminators 32 are capable of being intermittentlyactivated when imaging chip 1 does not need to sense incoming light(e.g., the pixels in the imager have collected enough light for acurrent frame) such that the projection of the integrated illuminators32 through the imaging lens 3 matches the field of view of the imagingchip 1. That is, the illuminators 32 are integrally disposed atpredetermined intervals on the imaging chip 1.

As shown in FIG. 2D, the camera includes an imaging lens 3 and animaging chip 1 that intermittently senses incoming light. The camerafurther includes an extended light source comprising a distributedilluminator 42 situated near the imaging chip 1 and a duplicate lens 3.The distributed illuminator 42 is capable of being intermittentlyactivated when imaging chip 1 does not need to sense incoming light(e.g., the pixels in the imager have collected enough light for acurrent frame) such that the projection of the distributed illuminator42 through the duplicate lens 3 matches the field of view of the imagingchip 1. Since there are two lenses in this arrangement, the illuminatorcould also be activated simultaneously with the imager (but at a muchbrighter than normal level) to function as a flash for taking a snapshot

Each of the exemplary configurations of FIGS. 2A-2D can include anoptical filter 4 for patterning the projected photon (e.g., light) asexemplarily shown in FIG. 4. That is, generally the pupil of the user'seye will only intercept a small portion of the projected pattern. Thus,the perception can just be of a bright light emanating from the camera'slens. However, with a patterned projection using the optical filter 4,it is possible to generate different colors at different offsets fromthe centerline of the camera. This could be used, for instance, as acentering guide for taking group “selfies”. All members of the groupshould jockey around until the camera appears to be emitting a greenlight. This then guarantees that their eyes will appear in the portionof the final image corresponding to the rectangle 303 in the projectedpattern.

That is, the optical filter can create different colors 301, 302, and303 as shown in FIG. 4 such that the user(s) can arrange themselves indifferent portions of the captured image such as the center point of theimage seeing the color 303 and surrounding people only seeing color 301indicating they are still in the image but at the outer portion of theimage. This effect is similar to a user watching the screen of a deviceand arranging the user's accordingly but without the need.

The position of the user(s) can be with respect to the camera or anabsolute world position (e.g., via Global Positioning System (GPS)) inthe case of a moving camera. It is noted that multiple individuallycolored light sources can be used.

As shown in FIG. 3 the exposure time required by the imager could alsobe used to regulate the brightness of the projector. In small formfactor scenarios, an independent projector with optics similar to acamera be used. The projector could double up as a pattern projector tooptimize illumination for capturing pictures as shown in FIG. 3. Thus,the projector can enable the projected photons to be seen based on abrightness of the environment. For example, in dim environments, theimager needs a longer exposure to develop a proper picture (e.g., justlike a film camera). However, fortuitously, in dim environments theprojected light does not to be very bright in order to be perceived.Thus, if the two elements are time-sharing the optics, the light can beblinked on for a shorter interval. Since this is happening typically 30times a second (or faster) the human simply sees a dimmer (but steady)light.

The configurations of the embodiments of FIGS. 2A-2D enable the user todetermine if the user is within the camera field of view despite largeoffsets from the imaging device. For surveillance, the user is onlybeing imaged when he can see light from the camera. This allows the userto shift his position, if desired, so as to remain unmonitored.

The method 100 controls the operation of the configurations of theembodiments of FIGS. 2A-2D including the light sensor 1, imaging optics3, the extended light source situated near the light sensor 1 andsharing the imaging optics 3, and an optical filter 4.

Step 101 senses incoming light via the imaging optics 3 and the lightsensor 1.

Step 102 intermittently activates the extended light source (2 a/2 b, 22a/22 b, 32, 42) when the light sensor 1 does not need to sense incominglight (e.g., the pixels in the imager have collected enough light for acurrent frame) such that the projection of the extended light source (2a/2 b, 22 a/22 b, 32, 42) through the imaging optics 3 matches a fieldof view of the light sensor 1.

Step 103 patterns the projection of the extended light source (2 a/2 b,22 a/22 b, 32, 42) via the optical filter 4. That is, Step 103 canfilter sections of the field of view with different colors 301, 302,303, for example, as shown in FIG. 3 such that the users who see thedifferent colors 301, 302, and 303 can know their position in thepicture. It is noted that Step 103 can also query the user to adjust thenumber of people in the picture or change the number of zones e.g., 301,302, 303) of the picture. It is further noted that the extended lightsource 2 can generate near monochromatic light or be patterned. That is,the extended light source 2 could be composed of a number of red,yellow, d gem LEDs. These do not emit white light that needs to bespectrally filter and instead they are intrinsically one color. Thereby,the extended light source 2 can act as the optical filter 4 (asdescribed later). Also, a uniform glow can be utilized instead of aspatially differentiated pattern. It is further noted that extendedlight source 2 can itself be patterned through the use of multipleindividually colored lighting elements.

Step 104 adjusts a timing of the projection of the extended light source(2 a/2 b, 22 a/22 b, 32, 42) based on a brightness of an environment inwhich the picture (video) is being taken.

Therefore, the inventors have realized at least one non-abstracttechnical solution to the technical problem to improve acomputer-technology (e.g., a performance of a camera) as exemplarydescribed in the embodiments above by including a projector in additionto the image sensor in the camera with the optics of the projector andsensor are substantially the same so that the projector and sensorimaging cones are identical such that, if a user can see the light fromthe projector, their eye falls within the field of view of the cameraand they can thus determine that the camera is accurately positionedwhile taking a picture (e.g., a selfie).

Also, although the embodiment herein refer generally to an image beingtaken, the invention is not limited thereto. The invention can beutilized in a video capture context with each frame of the videocorresponding to an image being taken. That is, the invention canprovide a way for notifying people when they are under videosurveillance from cameras that they are not necessarily aware of (e.g.,street cameras, hidden cameras, etc.).

Exemplary Hardware Aspects, Using a Cloud Computing Environment

Although this detailed description includes an exemplary embodiment ofthe present invention in a cloud computing environment, it is to beunderstood that implementation of the teachings recited herein are notlimited to such a cloud computing environment. Rather, embodiments ofthe present invention are capable of being implemented in conjunctionwith any other type of computing environment now known or laterdeveloped.

Cloud computing is a model of service delivery for enabling convenient,on-demand network access to a shared pool of configurable computingresources (e.g. networks, network bandwidth, servers, processing,memory, storage, applications, virtual machines, and services) that canbe rapidly provisioned and released with minimal management effort orinteraction with a provider of the service. This cloud model may includeat least five characteristics, at least three service models, and atleast four deployment models.

Characteristics are as follows:

On-demand self-service: a cloud consumer can unilaterally provisioncomputing capabilities, such as server time and network storage, asneeded automatically without requiring human interaction with theservice's provider.

Broad network access: capabilities are available over a network andaccessed through standard mechanisms that promote use by heterogeneousthin or thick client platforms (e.g., mobile phones, laptops, and PDAs).

Resource pooling: the provider's computing resources are pooled to servemultiple consumers using a multi-tenant model, with different physicaland virtual resources dynamically assigned and reassigned according todemand. There is a sense of location independence in that the consumergenerally has no control or knowledge over the exact location of theprovided resources but may be able to specify location at a higher levelof abstraction (e.g., country, state, or datacenter).

Rapid elasticity: capabilities can be rapidly and elasticallyprovisioned, in some cases automatically, to quickly scale out andrapidly released to quickly scale in. To the consumer, the capabilitiesavailable for provisioning often appear to be unlimited and can bepurchased in any quantity at any time.

Measured service: cloud systems automatically control and optimizeresource use by leveraging a metering capability at some level ofabstraction appropriate to the type of service (e.g., storage,processing, bandwidth, and active user accounts). Resource usage can bemonitored, controlled, and reported providing transparency for both theprovider and consumer of the utilized service.

Service Models are as follows:

Software as a Service (SaaS): the capability provided to the consumer isto use the provider's applications running on a cloud infrastructure.The applications are accessible from various client circuits through athin client interface such as a web browser (e.g., web-based e-mail).The consumer does not manage or control the underlying cloudinfrastructure including network, servers, operating systems, storage,or even individual application capabilities, with the possible exceptionof limited user-specific application configuration settings.

Platform as a Service (PaaS): the capability provided to the consumer isto deploy onto the cloud infrastructure consumer-created or acquiredapplications created using programming languages and tools supported bythe provider. The consumer does not manage or control the underlyingcloud infrastructure including networks, servers, operating systems, orstorage, but has control over the deployed applications and possiblyapplication hosting environment configurations.

Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS): the capability provided to theconsumer is to provision processing, storage, networks, and otherfundamental computing resources where the consumer is able to deploy andrun arbitrary software, which can include operating systems andapplications. The consumer does not manage or control the underlyingcloud infrastructure but has control over operating systems, storage,deployed applications, and possibly limited control of select networkingcomponents (e.g., host firewalls).

Deployment Models are as follows:

Private cloud: the cloud infrastructure is operated solely for anorganization. It may be managed by the organization or a third party andmay exist on-premises or off-premises.

Community cloud: the cloud infrastructure is shared by severalorganizations and supports a specific community that has shared concerns(e.g., mission, security requirements, policy, and complianceconsiderations). It may be managed by the organizations or a third partyand may exist on-premises or off-premises.

Public cloud: the cloud infrastructure is made available to the generalpublic or a large industry group and is owned by an organization sellingcloud services.

Hybrid cloud: the cloud infrastructure is a composition of two or moreclouds (private, community, or public) that remain unique entities butare bound together by standardized or proprietary technology thatenables data and application portability (e.g., cloud bursting forload-balancing between clouds).

A cloud computing environment is service oriented with a focus onstatelessness, low coupling, modularity, and semantic interoperability.At the heart of cloud computing is an infrastructure comprising anetwork of interconnected nodes.

Referring now to FIG. 5, a schematic of an example of a cloud computingnode is shown. Cloud computing node 10 is only one example of a suitablecloud computing node and is not intended to suggest any limitation as tothe scope of use or functionality of embodiments of the inventiondescribed herein. Regardless, cloud computing node 10 is capable ofbeing implemented and/or performing any of the functionality set forthhereinabove.

In cloud computing node 10 there is a computer system/server 12, whichis operational with numerous other general purpose or special purposecomputing system environments or configurations. Examples of well-knowncomputing systems, environments, and/or configurations that may besuitable for use with computer system/server 12 include, but are notlimited to, personal computer systems, server computer systems, thinclients, thick clients, hand-held or laptop circuits, multiprocessorsystems, microprocessor-based systems, set top boxes, programmableconsumer electronics, network PCs, minicomputer systems, mainframecomputer systems, and distributed cloud computing environments thatinclude any of the above systems or circuits, and the like.

Computer system/server 12 may be described in the general context ofcomputer system-executable instructions, such as program modules, beingexecuted by a computer system. Generally, program modules may includeroutines, programs, objects, components, logic, data structures, and soon that perform particular tasks or implement particular abstract datatypes. Computer system/server 12 may be practiced in distributed cloudcomputing environments where tasks are performed by remote processingcircuits that are linked through a communications network. In adistributed cloud computing environment, program modules may be locatedin both local and remote computer system storage media including memorystorage circuits.

As shown in FIG. 5, computer system/server 12 in cloud computing node 10is shown in the form of a general-purpose computing circuit. Thecomponents of computer system/server 12 may include, but are not limitedto, one or more processors or processing units 16, a system memory 28,and a bus 18 that couples various system components including systemmemory 28 to processor 16.

Bus 18 represents one or more of any of several types of bus structures,including a memory bus or memory controller, a peripheral bus, anaccelerated graphics port, and a processor or local bus using any of avariety of bus architectures. By way of example, and not limitation,such architectures include Industry Standard Architecture (ISA) bus,Micro Channel Architecture (MCA) bus, Enhanced ISA (EISA) bus, VideoElectronics Standards Association (VESA) local bus, and PeripheralComponent Interconnects (PCI) bus.

Computer system/server 12 typically includes a variety of computersystem readable media. Such media may be any available media that isaccessible by computer system/server 12, and it includes both volatileand non-volatile media, removable and non-removable media.

System memory 28 can include computer system readable media in the formof volatile memory, such as random access memory (RAM) 30 and/or cachememory 32. Computer system/server 12 may further include otherremovable/non-removable, volatile/non-volatile computer system storagemedia. By way of example only, storage system 34 can be provided forreading from and writing to a non-removable, non-volatile magnetic media(not shown and typically called a “hard drive”). Although not shown, amagnetic disk drive for reading from and writing to a removable,non-volatile magnetic disk (e.g., a “floppy disk”), and an optical diskdrive for reading from or writing to a removable, non-volatile opticaldisk such as a CD-ROM, DVD-ROM or other optical media can be provided.In such instances, each can be connected to bus 18 by one or more datamedia interfaces. As will be further depicted and described below,memory 28 may include at least one program product having a set (e.g.,at least one) of program modules that are configured to carry out thefunctions of embodiments of the invention.

Program/utility 40, having a set (at least one) of program modules 42,may be stored in memory 28 by way of example, and not limitation, aswell as an operating system, one or more application programs, otherprogram modules, and program data. Each of the operating system, one ormore application programs, other program modules, and program data orsome combination thereof, may include an implementation of a networkingenvironment. Program modules 42 generally carry out the functions and/ormethodologies of embodiments of the invention as described herein.

Computer system/server 12 may also communicate with one or more externalcircuits 14 such as a keyboard, a pointing circuit, a display 24, etc.;one or more circuits that enable a user to interact with computersystem/server 12; and/or any circuits (e.g., network card, modem, etc.)that enable computer system/server 12 to communicate with one or moreother computing circuits. Such communication can occur via Input/Output(I/O) interfaces 22. Still yet, computer system/server 12 cancommunicate with one or more networks such as a local area network(LAN), a general wide area network (WAN), and/or a public network (e.g.,the Internet) via network adapter 20. As depicted, network adapter 20communicates with the other components of computer system/server 12 viabus 18. It should be understood that although not shown, other hardwareand/or software components could be used in conjunction with computersystem/server 12. Examples, include, but are not limited to: microcode,circuit drivers, redundant processing units, external disk drive arrays,RAID systems, tape drives, and data archival storage systems, etc.

Referring now to FIG. 6, illustrative cloud computing environment 50 isdepicted. As shown, cloud computing environment 50 comprises one or morecloud computing nodes 10 with which local computing circuits used bycloud consumers, such as, for example, personal digital assistant (PDA)or cellular telephone 54A, desktop computer 54B, laptop computer 54C,and/or automobile computer system 54N may communicate. Nodes 10 maycommunicate with one another. They may be grouped (not shown) physicallyor virtually, in one or more networks, such as Private, Community,Public, or Hybrid clouds as described hereinabove, or a combinationthereof. This allows cloud computing environment 50 to offerinfrastructure, platforms and/or software as services for which a cloudconsumer does not need to maintain resources on a local computingcircuit. It is understood that the types of computing circuits 54A-Nshown in FIG. 6 are intended to be illustrative only and that computingnodes 10 and cloud computing environment 50 can communicate with anytype of computerized circuit over any type of network and/or networkaddressable connection (e.g., using a web browser).

Referring now to FIG. 7, a set of functional abstraction layers providedby cloud computing environment 50 (FIG. 6) is shown. It should beunderstood in advance that the components, layers, and functions shownin FIG. 7 are intended to be illustrative only and embodiments of theinvention are not limited thereto. As depicted, the following layers andcorresponding functions are provided:

Hardware and software layer 60 includes hardware and softwarecomponents. Examples of hardware components include: mainframes 61; RISC(Reduced Instruction Set Computer) architecture based servers 62;servers 63; blade servers 64; storage circuits 65; and networks andnetworking components 66. In some embodiments, software componentsinclude network application server software 67 and database software 68.

Virtualization layer 70 provides an abstraction layer from which thefollowing examples of virtual entities may be provided: virtual servers71; virtual storage 72; virtual networks 73, including virtual privatenetworks; virtual applications and operating systems 74; and virtualclients 75.

In one example, management layer 80 may provide the functions describedbelow. Resource provisioning 81 provides dynamic procurement ofcomputing resources and other resources that are utilized to performtasks within the cloud computing environment. Metering and Pricing 82provide cost tracking as resources are utilized within the cloudcomputing environment, and billing or invoicing for consumption of theseresources. In one example, these resources may comprise applicationsoftware licenses. Security provides identity verification for cloudconsumers and tasks, as well as protection for data and other resources.User portal 83 provides access to the cloud computing environment forconsumers and system administrators. Service level management 84provides cloud computing resource allocation and management such thatrequired service levels are met. Service Level Agreement (SLA) planningand fulfillment 85 provide pre-arrangement for, and procurement of,cloud computing resources for which a future requirement is anticipatedin accordance with an SLA.

Workloads layer 90 provides examples of functionality for which thecloud computing environment may be utilized. Examples of workloads andfunctions which may be provided from this layer include: mapping andnavigation 91; software development and lifecycle management 92; virtualclassroom education delivery 93; data analytics processing 94;transaction processing 95; and, more particularly relative to thepresent invention, the camera field indicating method 100 describedherein.

The descriptions of the various embodiments of the present inventionhave been presented for purposes of illustration, but are not intendedto be exhaustive or limited to the embodiments disclosed. Manymodifications and variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skillin the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the describedembodiments. The terminology used herein was chosen to best explain theprinciples of the embodiments, the practical application or technicalimprovement over technologies found in the marketplace, or to enableothers of ordinary skill in the art to understand the embodimentsdisclosed herein.

Further, Applicant's intent is to encompass the equivalents of all claimelements, and no amendment to any claim of the present applicationshould be construed as a disclaimer of any interest in or right to anequivalent of any element or feature of the amended claim.

What is claimed is:
 1. A camera comprising: imaging optics; a lightsensor, the imaging optics and the light sensor intermittently sensingincoming light; and an extended light source provided separate from theimaging optics and the light sensor, the extended light sourcecomprising a distributed illuminator capable of being intermittentlyactivated when the light sensor does not need to sense incoming lightsuch that a projection of the distributed illuminator through aduplicate lens of the extended light source matches a field of view ofthe light sensor.
 2. The camera of claim 1, wherein the imaging opticsincludes a first lens, and wherein the duplicate lens comprises aduplicate of the first lens as a second lens disposed on the extendedlight source.
 3. The camera of claim 1, wherein the extended lightsource comprises an optical filter for patterning the projection of thedistributed illuminator.
 4. The camera of claim 1, wherein thedistributed illuminator is activated simultaneously with the imagingoptics to function as a flash.
 5. A camera field indicating method for acamera including a light sensor, imaging optics, and an extended lightsource provided separate from the imaging optics and the light sensor,the method comprising: sensing incoming light via the imaging optics andthe light sensor; and intermittently activating the extended lightsource, which includes a distributed illuminator, when the light sensordoes not need to sense incoming light such that a projection of thedistributed illuminator through a duplicate lens of the extended lightsource matches a field of view of the light sensor.
 6. The method ofclaim 5, wherein the imaging optics includes a first lens, and whereinthe duplicate lens comprises a duplicate of the first lens as a secondlens disposed on the extended light source.
 7. The method of claim 5,wherein the extended light source comprises an optical filter forpatterning the projection of the distributed illuminator.
 8. The methodof claim 5, wherein the distributed illuminator is activatedsimultaneously with the imaging optics to function as a flash.
 9. Acamera field indicating system for a camera including a light sensor,imaging optics, and an extended light source provided separate from theimaging optics and the light sensor, said system comprising: aprocessor; and a memory, the memory storing instructions to cause theprocessor to perform: sensing incoming light via the imaging optics andthe light sensor; and intermittently activating the extended lightsource, which includes a distributed illuminator, when the light sensordoes not need to sense incoming light such that a projection of thedistributed illuminator through a duplicate lens of the extended lightsource matches a field of view of the light sensor.
 10. The system ofclaim 9, wherein the imaging optics includes a first lens, and whereinthe duplicate lens comprises a duplicate of the first lens as a secondlens disposed on the extended light source.
 11. The system of claim 9,wherein the extended light source comprises an optical filter forpatterning the projection of the distributed illuminator.
 12. The systemof claim 9, wherein the distributed illuminator is activatedsimultaneously with the imaging optics to function as a flash.